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Wednesday, November 6, 2013

"Project planning" is one of the most
misunderstood terms in project management. It is a set of living documents that
can be expected to change over the life of the project. Like a road map, it
provides the direction for the project. And like the traveler, the project
manager needs to set the course for the project. Just as a driver may encounter
road works or new routes to the final destination, the project manager may need
to correct the project course.

These days, many organizations spending too much time in
project planning. If you want to be agile, you need to deliver software.
Planning helps get you there but it can also get in the way if you over do it. According
to Founder and President of DAMICON Vin D’Amico, here are 20 ways to tell if
your company is spending too
much time planning the project, and not enough time delivering it.

The business stakeholders are asking “Is the software done
yet?” and you’re still planning.

The requested delivery date for the software passes and
you’re still planning.

You spend more time in planning meetings than you do with
your family.

Every time you go to a planning meeting, you meet new
people.

You have to schedule meetings to plan the planning meetings.

You call meetings but no one shows up any more.

You’ve revised the planning documents at least 5 times.

The planning documents are so complex you create a taxonomy
to organize them

The planning document set is so large you can’t use email to
distribute it.

Everyone answers “I’ll get back to you.” to information
requests yet no one ever does.

Writing the code is expected to take 4 weeks yet the
planning has dragged on for 6.

People assigned to work on the project are being
re-assigned.

Writing your risk management plan has become a project in
itself.

The name of the project has changed at least twice.

Your email distribution list is so long you
need Constant Contact to manage it.

Every time you print your planning documents the printer
runs out of toner.

The same issues, discussions and debates occur over and over
again.

The development team spends more time playing video games
than writing code.

The business, tired of waiting, shows you prototype software
they are developing on their own.

You’ve been planning for so long that the original project
goals are no longer valid.

You have likely witnessed at least one of these patterns in your
projects. What’s the cure? D’Amico advises to just stop, test it, and
deliver it already!